The World's Best Street Food, Is Being Banned And People Are Outraged

Food

The World's Best Street Food, Is Being Banned And People Are Outraged

Only a month after CNN named it the best place for street food in the world, stalls are being ushered off the streets.

According to city hall, thousands of vendors will be forced out by the end of 2017 due to reasons of cleanliness, safety and order.

There is a public outcry from people who flock to the area locally or as a travel destination.

City officials are "now working to get rid of stalls from all 50 districts of Bangkok," Wanlop Suwandee, chief adviser to Bangkok's governor, told local news portal the Nation.

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A once favorite food destination, more than 200 street food vendors on Khao San Road alone will be closing their doors indeterminately.

"The street vendors have seized the pavement space for too long and we already provide them with space to sell food and other products legally in the market, so there will be no let-up in this operation. Every street vendor will have to move out."

Tourism accounts for approximately 15% of the economy in Bangkok, with food tours and culinary travel adding significantly to the city's draw.

"It's impossible to avoid street food in Bangkok, where sidewalk vendors in different parts of the city operate on a fixed rotation," CNN reported last month.

"Street food was still too popular with the locals," Chawadee Nualkair, Bangkok-based food blogger, told the Guardian. "Of course, it would make Bangkok less charming. But it also takes a big chunk of cheap options away from working Thais, and closes up an avenue of work for many. Where will shop employees, construction workers and taxi drivers eat?"

What do you think of the new rules? Should they remove the vendors?